Back in New York Again
by AnneStan86
Summary: AU She left in the middle of the night with only a note to explain why and he never thought he'd see her again.  Two years later, he spies the girl he thought gone for good.  And she's not the same obsessive, crush-ridden girl he knew.
1. Prologue

**Back in New York Again**

**Disclaimer:** The author retains no rights to the recognizable features derived from _Wizards of Waverly Place_ and used in the following story. Only what her imagination produces for the public to read is hers to claim.

**Author's Note:** I apologize to anyone out there who is or was reading _The Witching Hour,_ as I have decided for the time being to discontinue it. The inspiration has left the building on that one and in starting this new chapter fic; I hope to regain what has been lost. Also, this is written before the end of the current season and it disregards another certain episode so it will have a high alternative universe quality.

* * *

**Prologue**

_~Two Years Ago~_

They were whispering more than usual. Hunched over tables at the Sub Station, on the orange couch in the Russo family loft, on busy sidewalks and in nearly empty boutiques. And later, holed up in the basement bedroom that his parents had given Harper. Never was he able to hear just what exactly the whispers pertained to as they would stop anytime either spotted someone lurking close by, but he knew the subject matter had to be of a serious nature as neither smiled and both appeared bothered. And since he never heard an admonishing _Alex_, he knew not one of their whispering sessions had to do with some scheme his sister cooked up or was in the midst of cooking up.

Although he was grateful that the more time Alex and Harper spent with their heads bent together meant less time that he had to look over his shoulder, the fact remained that the level of whispering was far higher than what he considered normal. Frankly, that was enough to worry him.

It got to the point that one was so rarely seen without the other that when she was alone, he took the time to look at her. He really _looked_ at her. She had changed in just a few short weeks but not so drastically that only an acquaintance would notice the shift. He even doubted that those close to her would notice the change. However, he had become a sort of expert throughout their association on who she was and what made her tick—a byproduct of being the victim of her obsession.

So he knew that the smile on her face no longer matched the look in her shadowed eyes and that her clothing had become subdued by her standards. He also knew that while the _hi Justin_ that she delivered each and every time that they happened upon each other sounded the same as it always had, it was no longer a natural instinct but an act forced to maintain the illusion of normalcy. But as much as he was relieved that he was receiving highly desired breathing room and as much as he enjoyed the slight bond that was beginning to form between them, he still found himself unable to completely relax as the whispers were growing daily and he still had no idea what they were about.

With each passing day, the lingering worry that ate at the pit of his stomach and messed with his head—because when a dream borders on disturbing more than once, it can no longer be a fluke or blamed on nighttime snacks—began to mount until it became a concern he could no longer ignore. And just as he was ready to approach her, to sit her down, to demand to know all the answers that revolved around the whispering, she made the first move.

He knew that it was scientifically impossible for one's stomach to drop. But the moment he was let in on the secret that his sister and Harper had spent weeks discussing behind closed doors, he wondered if any scientists had actually proved it.

* * *

For the first time in her life that she could recall, she finally felt like she belonged. Sure, she still received strange looks here and there from her peers and Justin still approached her at times like he was afraid she was going to jump him. And yes, she was very much estranged from both her parents and the teachers gave her those expectant stares as though she was supposed to set her best friend on the straight and narrow path.

However, none of that mattered too much since everything else in her life was falling into place. The Russo clan had taken her in when her parents had been more than happy to unload her and in doing so, she had gained two pseudo-brothers, her friendship with Alex was more in the realm of sisterhood and she had two new parental units who actually _cared_. She found that she was more open to experiences that before would have had her turning tale and running for dear life, which had allowed her to actually pursue a guy that she liked without scaring him away and become closer to the one she actually had frightened. She also looked better than ever, if she did say so herself, as she had toned down her wardrobe enough to be deemed socially acceptable even if there were days when her themes seemed a bit extreme.

Experience should have taught her by now that when everything seemed to be going right, she should expect the other shoe to drop and trip her up. And that was exactly what had happened on the last day of school. While the Waverly Sub Station was teeming with teenagers celebrating their last day of school and happily discussing plans for the summer, Harper had deliberately separated herself from the crowds and was sitting in her dank basement bedroom. Cross-legged on her bed and a sick feeling in the pit of her stomach, she eyed the envelope with the return address marked _Pittsburgh_ with trepidation.

"Harper," Alex called as she descended the stairs. "What are you doing down here?"

She opened her mouth to answer and promptly shut it with an audible snap, her bottom lip slipping between her teeth. She knew if she were to speak that her voice would either take on a shaky quality or a high-pitched one and whichever one would immediately alert Alex that all was not copasetic. But she also knew that the moment her friend reached her and viewed the stricken expression on her face, the secret that Harper was not at all okay would be common knowledge.

"Harper? Oh God, what did Zeke do?" Alex demanded, simultaneously plopping on the bed and rolling her eyes.

"It's not...Zeke didn't do anything," Harper murmured. She picked up the envelope and handed it to Alex. "I can't open it."

"A letter from your parents? Shouldn't you be thrilled instead of looking like someone kicked your puppy?"

"Alex, when have you ever known my parents to take time out of their fighting to ask me how I am?" Harper croaked.

Alex immediately grew serious. "You're right. Do you want me to read it?"

Despite herself, Harper brightened at the suggestion. "Could you?"

Tearing open the envelope, Alex removed the thin slip of stationary and cleared her throat. "_Harper, I hope the time since your last visit has been enjoyable and I apologize if this letter reaches you at a bad time. As you may remember, your father and I spoke of attending therapy in your absence and the improvements it has made for both our marriage and our lack of parenting techniques. It may come as a shock to you, but neither of us was really ready to be parents when you came along—we were really just learning how to shift from being single to sharing our lives with another person permanently._

"_Now, your father and I know that it was agreed that you would stay with the Russo family until graduation since we thought it would be hardly fair to uproot you from what you are accustomed to when there was another option available. That decision has worked for all parties involved, even exceeded our expectations as we have noticed how much you've matured in our absence, until now._"

Alex stopped abruptly at those words and stared wide-eyed at a barely breathing, white-knuckled Harper. "Your parents can't be saying they want you home now. Do they know how incredibly unfair they're being? We're going to be _seniors_ this year. Don't they know that's like the most important year ever? I mean, you finally have a boyfriend and not just an imaginary relationship with my brother."

Unclenching her fists, Harper reached out and ripped the letter from Alex's shaking hands. She felt as though she had entered a nightmare and until she heard her parents' words in her own voice, reality would never set in. Swallowing hard, she continued where Alex left off.

"_As I've mentioned before, therapy has caused your father and I to grow closer and even rediscover what made us fall in love in the first place. Our relationship has come to resemble what it did during our first year of marriage and if you know anything about our family history, you should know that it was during our first year that you came along. As though history is repeating itself, I found out from my doctor last week that I am pregnant and you will soon have a sibling of your very own._"

It was at this point that her breathing had turned into hyperventilating and Alex took over the reading once again. "_I know this news probably shocks and worries you more than it does excite you so I will assure you that things will be different this time. With the help of our therapist and the newfound bond that has strengthened between your father and me, we believe that none of the mistakes that we made parenting you will happen again. And in that regard, we will need your help to support us in our change and to remind us when we are reverting back to old habits. You're going to be upset and we understand that but you'll need to understand that your familial obligations come first. And as great as the Russos have been, they do not actually qualify as being your family._

"_To show that we are not trying to ruin your life, your father, our therapist and I have discussed your move down here quite extensively before coming to this conclusion. To allow you to share thorough goodbyes with your friends and to enjoy a bit of the summer before being forced to adjust to new surroundings and people, we are giving you some time instead of requesting you come down immediately. On the weekend of July 31, your father will be there with the moving van and, to show your gratitude, we expect you to have all your possessions ready to go. Signed, your mother_," Alex finished.

Numb. Was it possible to lose complete feeling in your body? And cold. The room must have been nearing eighty due to the meager amount of airflow and Harper actually shivered. The year before when the choice was stay in the place she loved or uproot her entire life for someplace unknown, it had been a no-brainer. A year before, her parents had been more than happy to unload her on the neighboring family.

Now they wanted her back. Not because they loved her or wanted her but because their marriage was rejuvenated and they were having a baby. It was as though her parents had been granted a do-over by the fates and their image of what a perfect family looked like would be incomplete without the estranged daughter. It did not seem to matter how greatly they were ruining her life as long as they obtained what they envisioned.

"This is so not fair," Alex whined.

"Alex, you know my parents. They don't care about what's fair as long as they get what they want," Harper spat out in biting tones.

"Maybe if we talk to my parents, they could help change your parents' minds."

"Thanks, but I think it might be best I go. I can't let them raise my little brother or sister the way they raised me. It wouldn't be right," Harper concluded.

Alex sighed, leaning forward to wrap her arms around the girl she thought of as a sister. "I can't believe you're making me go through senior year by myself."

Two weeks of movies, shopping, sightseeing—because even though they had both lived in New York the majority of their lives, neither had really taken the time to play _tourist_ and visit the state's main attraction—and basically creating enough memories to last the time apart, Harper finally allowed Zeke to catch up with her. Ever since that afternoon in the basement, she had been avoiding the older male because the last thing she wanted was to tell him they had to end things. She had to say goodbye to her first _real_ relationship because her parents did not know to handle their own.

And this was what she explained to him on a Wednesday evening, sitting on a park bench and watching as the sun slowly slipped away. "So...Pittsburgh, huh? I take it Mr. and Mrs. Russo have no idea," Zeke said, his voice sounding as faraway as the look in his eyes.

Harper concentrated on the ground. "Actually, the only person who knows is Alex. She helped me read the letter they sent."

Zeke nodded. "Well, I guess I should just be glad that we're not breaking up because you realized you're still in love with Justin."

Her head shot up and she was surprised to find his eyes glassy with unshed tears. "I would never break up with you because of Justin. You were actually worried about that?"

"Of course, I mean, you had a crush on him _forever_ and there was that brief time you two dated. Besides, Justin always got the girl and I figured that it was just a matter of time before he got you too," Zeke admitted, shrugging his shoulders. They shared a momentary lapse of awkward silence. "I'm going to miss you."

"Me too," was all she could manage before the tears began and her throat closed.

Allowing herself to be pulled into his arms, she squeezed her eyes shut and took in as many deep breaths to memorize his scent as she could before they had to part ways. It was dark when they finally left the park and when they reached the Sub Station; they shared their first and only kiss before saying the final goodbye.

She spent the night on the orange couch with Alex, eating pints of ice cream while watching movies with tragic endings and sobbing over what was lost.

The last three weeks of her stay in New York were a flourish of activity. Their days were filled with helping out in the sandwich shop as the establishment had been overrun with teenagers who were no longer occupied with school. This left the night and the odd day off to discreetly pack away Harper's possessions in boxes they had secreted away after deliveries. And as it appeared that Justin was beginning to become suspicious of the duo, they had to save how Harper would make her announcement for the nights as well.

Although they had planned for a big announcement in front of the family, it seemed that one would remain in the realm of impossibility. For the last day of July finally arrived and not one person besides Alex and Zeke was the wiser. Even a huge emotional goodbye between Harper and the Russos was out of the picture because her father had chosen to arrive in the early hours of morning when the only member of the Russo clan still awake was Alex.

Between the three of them, the van was packed and the redhead was Pennsylvania bound in less than an hour. Standing next to the passenger side of the car as her father busied himself with making the last of the adjustments to the cargo; Harper shared her last tearful goodbyes with her best friend. "I can't believe I won't have to spend all my time trying and failing to keep you out of trouble," Harper sniffled.

Alex blinked back the tears that had been percolating since Harper's dad arrived. "Promise me you'll call when you get there. And try not to find a new best friend."

"I don't know if that'll ever be possible." The girls chuckled and threw their arms around each other, laughing and crying at the same time. "I can't believe I'm leaving. I feel like I should be doing this next year."

"I can't believe I'm the only one who gets to see you go," said Alex, wiping her eyes and then Harper's when their hug ended. Both rolled their eyes when Mr. Finkle tapped the top of the van and gave a five-minute warning gesture. "I'm still surprised you didn't spill the beans to Justin."

Harper merely shrugged, reaching into her pocket and handing Alex and stack of envelopes. "There's one in there for everybody, including you and Zeke. Can you make sure they get to the right people?"

"Aw, they're sealed."

"Duh." Her father tapped the top of the van again, this time with a two-minute warning. Throwing her arms around Alex, she gave her pseudo-sister one final hug. "You know, Pittsburgh isn't that far away by train. We'll probably see each other more than we think."

It was a reassuring thought that neither believed. With a last glance at what had been her home for so long, she jerked open the van door and slipped inside. Resting her head against the window, she closed her eyes and let sleep overwhelm her.

_**TBC...**_


	2. Chapter One

_Quick Note to Readers_: As I feel the episode _Wizards vs. Finkles_ came straight out of left field, I will be using certain aspects of it and disregarding others as I see fit to make my story work. This is my right as a fan fiction author.

* * *

**Chapter One**

Two years away from the city that she held dearest to her heart and it seemed that Harper Finkle had forgotten just how suffocating the heat could be during the early part of autumn. The numerous buildings that New York was comprised of mirrored the effects that an incubator would, adding twenty non-existent but quite noticeable degrees to the temperature gauges. She supposed that she had blocked it from her memory during her time away but there was no denying its existence when a wave of the stifling air hit her in the face the moment she stepped out of the air-conditioned airport to hail a taxi.

Luckily for her, her former roommate had not only been an excellent fashionista but a fashionista who was obsessed with the weather report. No matter the season, no matter the destination, Janie Tate could give a detailed list of the appropriate apparel needed to survive the climate you were about to be immersed in. Though it often irritated people that hardly knew her that Janie had to check four different sources everyday before making a final decision on what to wear, they easily got over it when she was the only one who had an extra umbrella or jacket or pair of sunglasses. And her obsession also caused her to become the one in their dorm that everyone had gone to when they needed their suitcases packed for an upcoming vacation.

So, while the heat was sweltering and Harper could already feel the hairs at the nape of her neck curling from a thin layer of sweat, the loose-fitting halter-top and almost too worn to wear cutoffs made it bearable at the very least. Something that she would have to thank Janie for once she reached the destination that would be home for the next year. If she ever reached it, that is, since the cabs seemed to be on the scarce side and the ones that were there already had paying customers. Sighing, she hefted her carry-on a few inches higher on her shoulders and tightened her grip on her suitcase as she began a trek to end of the taxi cab line in hopes of finding one unoccupied.

Harper hated the song and dance that went along with the first week of any school, especially when it involved moving some place that she was unaccustomed to, and wished that there had been a way to avoid it altogether. As she had learned from her freshman year, the first week of college meant countless handouts from professors and fellow students alike as well as acclimating one's self to the campus. In a place that induced stress, it was the only week where relaxation was revered and the only agenda was getting to know the people that were to surround you on a daily basis for an almost nine-month period. Although Harper was all for living in a stress-free environment in the city she had fought to return to, no matter how temporary the lack of stress would actually be, the last thing she was looking forward to was having to bond with a new roommate when her former one was back in Pennsylvania.

Which was why she was inwardly cursing the university policy that stated new transfers had to attend the freshman orientation while searching for an available cab. If not for this policy that had always been there but had never really been implemented until now, Harper could have joined her father in the moving truck the following weekend—the following weekend just happened to be the official time period for the underclassmen to move into the dorms—and avoided the airport and cab search altogether. She also could have had an extra week to spend with her friends in Pittsburgh and her baby brother, instead of on a college campus that was sure to look more like a ghost town due to its lack of students.

The cab she found was the second to the last and the driver was more than happy to find that her luggage was minimal. Sinking into a seat that was on the fast track to the car graveyard, she announced her desired destination before simply reveling in the drastic shift in temperature the car's vents provided.

As the cab entered traffic in the direction of her university, Harper found that she could barely contain the exuberance she felt or the grin that resulted from it. While she had enjoyed living in Pittsburgh, had even come to accept and love the nuances that made the two cities differ, there was a familiar energy that New York carried that she had come to miss to the point of aching. Even though she would not trade her time away for anything, she had felt like a vital piece of her soul had been missing while she was gone and she had been shuffling through a dense fog with no sense of direction.

As much as she had tried in the previous two years, she never felt as though she fit in the world that her parents had created. She felt weighted down by their problems and taking care of her baby brother, as well as herself, all while trying to figure out how to keep sane without the support system she had constructed at an early age. She had brought this to the attention of her mother more times than she could count, only to be reminded that she was still under a familial obligation and the people pleaser in her should be happy that her baby brother would be so well-adjusted.

If it had not been for the family's therapist, she would never have seen the New York skyline except for pictures. During their one-on-one sessions, Harper made it clear to the middle-aged woman that she was slowly going crazy in the Finkle household. She made it clear that she was emotionally drained and physically exhausted from the stresses of everyday life and the efforts of being the glue that held them all together. She also alluded to the fact that she would soon take drastic measures to free herself and those may or may not have dire consequences.

Six months later, her parents had accepted a gig in Ohio and she was a transfer student in New York. An emotionally lighter, greatly rejuvenated transfer student who was more than happy with the path that she had chosen, despite the niggling feeling that it would bring her closer to her past than she desired.

* * *

Justin Russo was beginning to _hate_ the new president of his university and his idea of bringing change to the school by implementing policies that were previously overlooked. Instead of joining his siblings on the snow-capped peak of some mountain or his parents in their air-conditioned sandwich shop, he was spending his time moving into his stuffy dorm room on a day that was better suited for the south side of Hades. Instead of jumping into a cool lake like his friend Zeke was probably doing at that exact moment and like they had both done all summer long, he was altering between lugging boxes and wiping rivers of sweat from his face and neck.

And he was doing so because of a policy that had never before been enforced, one stating that every resident advisor on campus needed to be in attendance during freshman orientation and proceed with delivering a tour of the campus afterward. It had been professors and guidance counselors along with volunteer alumni taking on this task in previous years. However, the new president figured that it would be far less jarring and far more informative if current students were the ones to answer questions while providing their insights on campus life.

While the do-gooder part of him inwardly agreed with the assessment and wished that he had been so fortunate when he was a freshman—because, really, that year would have gone so much better if he had _not_ pissed off his English lit professor by pinpointing which aspects of his lesson plan needed correcting—the rest was cursing his rotten luck. Stacking the final box on top of its counterparts, he made his way to the bed and threw his exhausted body onto the bare mattress with a groan.

"So, this is how the new resident advisor is going to spend the day? Lying on a mattress in an empty room with nothing but boxes to keep him company?"

Justin cracked an eye open to see one of his best buddies and roommate of the previous two years leaning against the doorframe. "Go away, Pierce," Justin growled, not having a desire to deal with the somewhat obnoxious male.

"And leave my best mate to melt by himself?" Pierce gasped, a hand on his chest as though scandalized by the notion. "I could never."

Justin groaned again as he sat up. "Seriously, Pierce, what are you doing here? Last time I checked, you were renting off-campus for the year."

"I am. But it's freshmen orientation and I always like to do my best to inspire learning in the newest members of the student body," Pierce said with an impish grin.

The amount of sexual connotation in that single sentence was enough to make him cringe and deliver a slight shudder. "I doubt your idea of learning is not exactly the type the school had in mind."

"Eh, you say po-tay-to, I say po-tah-to."

_And he wonders why I've been keeping my sister as far away from him as possible, _he thought as he shook his head with amusement.

Luckily, the feat of keeping his overly outgoing sister away from his exceedingly suggestive roommate was actually quite an easy task. While Pierce and Justin were studying architecture and engineering respectively in New York, Alex was enrolled in the Rhode Island School of Design for a second year of living an artist's dream. And since the only vacations they had that coincided were during the summer or centered around holidays, Justin hardly needed to worry about an unexpected tagalong since the other male's familial obligations kept him two places—his mom's condo in San Francisco or his dad's estate in Miami.

Justin sighed upon viewing the expectant expression on Pierce's face and pushed himself to his feet, ripping the soaked with sweat T-shirt off and exchanging it for one he had dug out of a duffle bag earlier. He pulled Pierce away from the door as he exited the room, pocketing the key after turning the lock to secure his belongings.

"One hour, two tops, then I have to start unpacking if I want to be done before my meeting tonight. And just remember that I'm doing this because I refuse to have a repeat of last year."

"Hey, how was I to know that the meathead carrying her luggage was actually her boyfriend? He looked like her brother, for God's sake."

"Yes, because other than skin, eye and hair color, they could've been twins," Justin said dryly, hitting the button to the elevator. "And can we not forget the one who was actually going to be a freshman in _high school_ and the mother accompanying her?"

Pierce let out an uncomfortable laugh. "Yeah, my eye still twitches every time I think of how hard that woman can hit."

"Hitting on both of them simultaneously probably wasn't the best idea you've ever had, either," Justin pointed out.

"Well, criticize all you want, but at least I'm actually dating. When was the last time you took a girl out and left the books at home?" Pierce demanded as they entered the empty elevator car and he pressed the button for the main floor.

He opened his mouth to argue then snapped it shut without administering a single sound because as much as he was loathed to admit, Pierce had actually raised a valid point. While he had dated frequently through his freshman year and the first part of his sophomore one at the university—there was even a semi-serious relationship during the summer in between—his dating life had been in a major slump since. The dates that he did go on were more often than not ones set up by friends who thought that he had gone far too long without female contact. And whether or not he thought that it was going well and that there would be promise for a follow-up, they always ended with a polite brush-off that would have been offensive if not for their sincerity.

Although he wanted to blame the combination of studying for both his degree and the wizard test that was quickly approaching along with helping his family out with their shop, his slump was all his own doing. Because it was not that the various women surrounding him never took time to try to flirt or were coy in their advances, it was that he never said _yes_ when they inevitably asked him out or called the phone numbers that they freely gave him. He never responded to their blatant overtures because no matter how beautiful or intelligent or witty or just plain desirable they were, he always felt like there was some quality that was _missing_ and he could not put his finger on what it was.

"Look, man," Pierce spoke. "All I'm saying is that even you could benefit from spending a day away from the books every now and then. And I know at least a dozen girls who would love to help you find new ways to entertain yourself."

The elevator stopped before Justin could even think of formulating a proper response that would end his friend's badgering over his non-existent love life. And when the doors slid open to reveal just what—or who, in this case—was on the other side, he nearly swallowed his tongue.

_**TBC...**_


	3. Chapter Two

_A Quick Author's Note_: This chapter is a bit quick due to the fact that I kind of just wanted to get something down while I was inspired and I know that those who have put it in their favorites have been waiting patiently. Let's just say that moving does not bode well for thinking about writing.

* * *

**Chapter Two**

There were days that Harper Finkle actually looked forward to. Like the first sunny day in spring the year before when Janie and her skipped classes to take Mrs. Tate's new convertible for a test drive. Or all those years ago when she would ransack her favorite boutique during a crazy eight minute sale with Alex. She had even looked forward to that one awkward prom that she went to with her former crush's best friend, convinced that she needed a magical solution to calm her jittery nerves and embarrassed by her actions once the solution had worn off.

And then, there were days that she wished she had never gotten out of bed. Because it was as if fate had decided that dealing with the hassles of traveling and the stress of attending a new school was not wretched enough. Fate had decided that the metaphorical cherry on the sundae would have to be reacquainting herself with the only person she did not want to happen upon. Standing before her in the elevator, dressed in khaki shorts and a black tee, shoulders broader than before but the face the same as the one still lingering in her memory, was Justin Russo.

_At least he looks about as shocked as I feel_, was the only comforting thought that entered her head as her eyes locked onto his and her breathing became uneven.

An obtrusive clearing of someone's throat sounded from beside the dark-haired male, breaking them from the hold of the trance they had been in and alerting her to the fact that they had an audience for the first time. Harper pasted a grin on her face and took a few steps back to allow their exit from the elevator, tearing her eyes away from Justin and, instead, using them to study the man who had accompanied him.

He was tall, was the first thing Harper noticed, a good two inches more than Justin. Denim jeans hung off a narrow waist in a way that would have screamed malnourished if they were not so stylish and expensive, the olive-colored t-shirt so tight that she could plainly see the muscles in his arms and abdomen. A lean face that was handsome enough to be deemed beautiful contained a pair of striking eyes the same blue as a robin's egg, lips a bit on the thin side framing dentist-white teeth and a nose that had obviously been broken once due to the bump at the bridge. A golden tan and a mop of curls stuck between blonde and brown that were in dire need of a trim finished the look that was both all-American and devil-may-care.

A far cry from the type of guy her former crush/obsession used to befriend.

"Hello Justin, it's been a long time," she said quietly, turning her attention back to the man in question.

Justin's mouth opened and closed. However, nothing but warm breath that smelled faintly of peppermint escaped his lips. His friend stepped forward, outstretching his hand as if the lack of communication was so common that it was something to be ignored. "Pierce Wallingford, at your service. And since we seem to have a lack of manners, who might you be?"

Despite the grin that was supposed to put her at a comfortable ease but came off as appearing more like a leer, she brightened her own grin, forced herself to grip his hand loosely and shook it twice before letting go just to be polite. "Harper Finkle, an old friend of the Russos," she replied.

"Harper…a beautiful name to match such a beautiful creature," Pierce complimented, his tone holding the same suggestive connotation as the many drunken frat boys she had met previous year.

She rolled her eyes, noting that Justin did the same. "And I bet that's one of your top fives that you say to every girl you meet."

Pierce furrowed his brow. "Top ten, actually, but how could you know that?"

"Lucky guess," Harper replied, hitting the button to the elevator. "Now, if you'll excuse me, I'm going to go see my room and unpack before orientation starts. Pierce, I can't say it was a pleasure meeting you but it was something. Justin, I guess I'll see you around the dorms?"

She swiftly entered the empty elevator car before either could respond and punched the button that would lead her to her floor, falling back against a wall the moment the doors slid shut. Squeezing her eyes shut and hitting her head against the wall a few times, she tried to ignore the familiar sensation that had bubbled up when she first spied Justin's shocked face staring back at her. The last thing she needed this year was to run into the man who had unintentionally carved a special niche in her heart, especially when her heart was still on the mend from the last guy who had broken it.

_You're not the same girl as you were two years ago. You've gotten over all those silly obsessive compulsive tendencies,_ she told herself as the elevator dinged, alerting her to the fact that her floor had been reached. _All you've got to do is stay busy. He's a year ahead of you so it's doubtful that any of your classes will be the same. It won't take you long to memorize his schedule. Do that and you'll be able to avoid him_, her mind whispered as she found her room and used her key to unlock it, dropping her belonging once she was inside with the door closed behind her.

And as she strode over to the window to air out the stench of staleness that accumulated from three months of non-use, she gave herself one last order before she was satisfied that everything would wind up okay. _And if you do run into him, remember to breathe and stay calm. The last thing either of you need is crazy, hyper, stalker Harper running around campus._

_

* * *

_

At the same time that Harper was going through the pep talk in her head, Pierce and Justin found themselves standing at the coffee cart just outside the dorm. Receiving the two iced teas they had ordered, they made their way over to one of the many dedicated benches scattered around the campus for the students' usage.

"So, that Harper…any reason you never mentioned the girl?" Pierce inquired the moment their butts hit the seat of the bench. "Because I know that if I knew a girl who looked like that, I'd probably talk about nothing else. Hell, I know I definitely wouldn't be single right now."

"She didn't always look like that," Justin muttered defensively.

Pierce raised a brow incredulously. "Unless she had warts or hairy moles that had to be removed from her face, trust me, she always looked like that. So why haven't you mentioned her before?"

Justin shrugged. "She's just my sister's best friend who used to fantasize about marrying me before dating my buddy from high school. When she moved away two years ago, I never really gave her a second thought."

Pierce studied him in a way that made Justin shift uncomfortably before narrowing his eyes and shaking his head. "No, sorry mate, I don't believe that. Granted, I only shared about three or four sentences with her, but I can tell. Harper Finkle isn't the type of girl you know most of your life and then casually forget like a weekend fling." He paused to take a long drink from his tea. "Nah, she's the type who sticks in your mind, gets under your skin and lives in your blood. The type you can't wash out like yesterday's laundry."

"Let me guess, you dated a psych major over the summer?"

"English lit major with a minor in philosophy, actually, and we didn't actually date. She's the daughter of my dad's fiancé so we hung out a lot the month I was in Miami," Pierce replied. "I might've taken it further if it wasn't for the fact that she's about to become my new sister."

"It's nice to know that you actually do have standards."

"Who said I didn't?" Pierce shrugged. "Anyway, back to Harper."

"Any chance you could just let it go?" Pierce shook his head, causing Justin to sigh in frustration. "Okay, I admit that I think about her more often than I should. And we used to try to talk about her a lot when she first left but just mentioning her name always seemed to upset my sister. I guess we all just got used to pretending she never existed."

"And now she's back."

_How was he going to pretend she didn't exist now?_ The unspoken question hung between them like a cloud of smoke. If it was anyone else, he would be able to move about his life and act as though she was just a mere acquaintance or a distant cousin that was only seen at family reunions. But this was _Harper_, the girl who penetrated the very beings of those she knew by just existing. Her very presence was a reminder of opportunities that were missed and of simpler times that were long gone.

"Well, sorry to tell you this, mate, but you're going to have to figure it out and fast. Because the girl you knew may be gone but this version of her isn't going to disappear anytime soon," Pierce advised.

Justin remained silent. Because the last thing he wanted Pierce or anyone else knowing was that he had just realized what his new greatest fear happened to be. That this Harper would disappear just as easily as the last one had.

_**TBC…**_


	4. Chapter Three

**Chapter Three**

He hated Janie Tate. And that was saying a lot because he didn't usually hate people, especially people he had only barely met. But he hated her and that made him believe that he was losing sanity fast.

Just as he was making headway with Harper, this stranger had to walk into both of their lives and ruin the connection he was trying to solidify. Just as he had gotten her to actually _talk_ to him again, the woman had entered the picture and made it so Harper did not have time to spend with him if she wanted to. And just as he had gotten to the point where pursuing something more than friendship wasn't too far out of the realm of possibility, Janie had come in and stole his chance by setting her up with more than one guy in the two weeks of being there.

Harper had been spending every extra minute that did not belong to classes or studying with Janie and the various set-ups. Which was why he was surprised to find her alone one afternoon in a local used bookstore, poring over the classic literature section like every other female their age would at a shelf of bestsellers.

He took a moment to stand to the side to just stare. The air had taken on a sudden chill to it, causing the inhabitants of the state to set aside their shorts and tank tops for jeans and long sleeves. Despite his disappointment at finding her covered up on a daily basis, he had to admit that he had yet to meet a woman who looked more adorable in a pair of jeans and a sweatshirt with the school's logo. And more than once in the class they shared, he caught himself staring at the back of her neck when she was wearing her hair up.

Yeah, he was definitely losing it.

Refusing to gain a peeping tom status, he cleared his throat to alert her to his presence. She whipped around to face him, dropping the book that she was reading the back of in the process. "Justin, hey," she said, her eyes brightening and a grin coming onto her face.

He bent down to retrieve the book, glancing at the title. "Sense and Sensibility? You couldn't find anything more recent?"

She reached out to take it from him, their fingers brushing and sending a shiver down his spine. "I'm an English major so I have a fair appreciation for the classics. Don't get me wrong, I like Nora Roberts just as much as any other girl my age. But sometimes, it's nice to retreat to a time when gentlemen actually existed."

"You haven't met too many of those this week? I thought with as much as you've been going out, you would have found one or two."

Her brow furrowed briefly as though she detected the hint of jealousy that he tried to conceal. "Janie is more into quantity, not quality, and she doesn't really understand those who aren't. I mostly go out with the guys she chooses because it tends to be double dates and I want to make sure she actually gets home."

"So, why isn't Janie here with you today?"

Harper laughed. "She majors in English lit but hates to read."

"How does that work?"

She shrugged. "Her father has a stipulation that in order to get their trust funds, his kids have to get some kind of college education that includes a degree. Since he doesn't view fashion designing or art in general as a viable career option, English was her next best option. She probably would have dropped out by now but she figures she'll play by Daddy's Rules for now and do whatever she wants when she gets the money."

"That sounds like something Alex would do."

"How is Alex? I haven't talked to her since she split from Mason last spring."

"She's good. You know she's dating Dean again, right?"

"Dean…Dean…as in Dean Moriarty? You mean the guy who could never remember my name?"

"The very same one."

"How'd that happen?"

Justin shrugged, following her as she took a stack of books off the shelf and headed for the cash register. "You know when he came back to town during her senior year and she rejected him?" Harper nodded, giving the books to the cashier to ring up. "Well, he came back again about a month after she split from Mason. They were strictly friends until the Fourth of July celebration our parents put on. The fireworks started between them about the same time the fireworks in the sky did."

He waited for her to pay, wishing the cashier a good day and taking the bag of books before Harper could even think about reaching for them. She smiled her thanks, holding the door open for him and proceeding to walk side-by-side towards the campus.

"She's still going to school in Rhode Island, right? So, how are they working out the long distance thing?"

"She makes him come see her every weekend, whether he has other plans or not. And from what she tells me, they talk on the phone every night before bed."

"Good for them."

"Why didn't you and Zeke stick it out?" The question was out before he could stop it and he figured he had crossed a line when her back went rigid. It was one that he had wanted an answer to ever since his best friend had come into the sandwich shop the morning after Harper left and admitted their break up. However, he had failed to mention any details. "I mean, if my sister can handle a long distance relationship then I would think you'd have no problem."

He glanced over to see her bottom lip captured between her teeth as she stared at the ground. He almost withdrew the question when she spoke. "It was a lot to handle, the moving back home with my parents and having to deal with the prospect of a little brother or sister after so long of being an only child. And you know my parents; they are not big on the parenting aspect of parenthood. I just wanted to be fair to Zeke. I knew I wouldn't have time to be the girlfriend he deserved and I thought he needed to find someone who would."

"How very noble of you."

"Nobility had nothing to do with it." Reaching their dormitory, Harper took the book bag from him and entered through the glass doors. They walked up to the elevator, pressed the button and waited for the car to arrive. "You and him are still friends, right?"

"The last time I checked."

"Can you just tell him I said hi? We haven't really spoken since that day."

Justin nodded as they stepped into the empty elevator car once a group of fellow students had exited and pressed the button for their floor. "You could tell him yourself, you know."

"Its better not to tread on bridges burned." Silence fell as they were lifted to their floor. When the doors opened, Harper merely smiled at him in a way that let him know that he was disinvited to follow her before getting off. He was had already pressed the button to bring him back to the first floor when her voice softly wafted to his ears. "It was really nice talking to you. We should try doing it again sometime."

The doors closed before he could respond.

* * *

"I know that look," Janie said, looking over the top of her laptop as Harper came into their room.

"What look?"

"The look that says, _I know he might just break my heart but I'm falling for him anyway_. The look that the female lead in every chick flick ever made wears proudly."

Harper went to place her new purchase on their shared bookshelf. "I don't know what you're talking about," she said in meek defense.

"Are you sure about that?"

Harper sighed as she took a seat next to Janie. "Okay, so there is a small chance that I might be falling for him just a little bit. But I swear it's different this time. He's different. I'm different. You know, we ran into each other at the bookstore and had an actual conversation with no weirdness. We've never done that before."

"So there's a chance that you might get your secret desire fulfilled after all?"

"Maybe. We'll see how it goes."

"Well, just remember that you're not freaky obsessed stalker girl anymore. You've matured. And you don't have to chase after him this time. It's his turn."

"Thank you, Dr. Phil."

"I'm just saying that it's time for the hunted to be the hunter for once. So, did the two of you make further plans to reconnect?"

Harper shook her head. "I might've mentioned that it'd be nice talking to him again. But it was nothing that would seem like anything more than a casual meeting of acquaintances."

"But you want more, right?"

"I don't know, Janie. I think it's just nice to have him in my life in some form. I'm not looking for the marriage or the two point five kids or even a date every Saturday night. Like I said before, we'll see how it goes," Harper said firmly.

"Well, word around the dorm is that he might be looking for a date every Saturday night."

"Since when have you ever paid attention to word around the dorm?"

"Well, you'd be amazed what you learn while shopping with people you barely know. Harper, the man has been here almost every day looking for you. You might just want friendship with a chance of something more but I think all he wants is the something more," Janie replied.

Harper laughed, shaking her head. "I think you're crazy."

"We'll see." Janie put her laptop to the side, stood and pulled Harper up as well. "Now, let's do some real shopping. If I'm going to be stuck watching you two play the will they won't they game, I'm going to make sure that it's a short game."

Harper barely had time to grab her purse, let alone respond, before being dragged out of their room by her chattering roommate. All she could do was pray that the shopping trip lasted shorter than the one they had when Janie's dad announce he was remarrying.

* * *

"Whoa, slow down, Justin. Start at the beginning," Alex Russo instructed her brother.

While they had never been particularly close growing up, the last two years had changed the dynamics of their relationship. They began to talk more and even did more as siblings than they had their entire lives, much to the utter happiness and joy of their parents. However, their newfound bond never included more than the casual weekly phone call used to update the other on the happenings of life away from the Sub Station.

So she was surprised to arrive at her dorm after two days at her boyfriend's and find more than twenty alerts on the cell phone she had left behind. And she was even more surprised to find that over half of them belonged to her brother leaving erratic voicemail messages that only halfway made sense. When she finally chose to call him back, he dove into a five-minute rant that she barely understood. The only thing that she was certain of was that it had to do with her best friend.

"She's back, Alex, Harper is back in New York and she's going to school with me. What's more is that we're sharing the same floor as me and so is her former roommate," Justin summarized.

"Okay," Alex drew the word out, taking a seat on her bed and grabbing a fashion magazine to flip through while they talked. "I'm not really getting what the big deal is. Unless you…oh, I get it now."

"Alex, I can hear you smirking. What is it that you get?"

"You've fallen for her. The girl you swore up and down that you wouldn't fall for in a million years and you've done just that. Aw, it'd be sweet if it didn't make me want to hurl."

"Alex—"

"Look, I'm still really not seeing the problem. Just go up to her and let her know that you've finally realized that she's the girl for you. She'll be so overjoyed with the news that she'll forget the hell you put her through growing up," Alex advised.

Justin sighed. "That's just it. I think she's already forgotten _the hell I put her through_ and any type of feelings she ever had for me. She's moved on with her life and I don't think she's ever going to see me as anything more than a casual acquaintance."

"It sounds ironic. You've begun to like her the way you wished she would stop liking you. So what are you going to do?"

"That's why I called you. I have no idea what I'm going to do and I thought you might have one."

"All I can say is to be sure that whatever you're feeling is real. Because it sounds like this new Harper has finally figured out how to live a life that doesn't involve you. And while you may not like it now, you're going to have to learn how to if what you're feeling is just a phase and a result of you missing that constant adoration that old Harper gave you. She's my best friend and the last thing I'd want is for you to break her heart yet again," Alex told him.

"And what if I'm sure it's real?"

"Then, for the first time in your life, you might actually have to fight for a girl's heart. Good luck with that."

_TBC…_


	5. Chapter Four

_**Author's Note:**_ Sorry it took so long to update.

* * *

**Chapter Four**

It was the third week in October when Justin finally attempted to make his move.

He could no longer curse her roommate for stealing the bulk of her attention. If he had thought it was next to impossible to gain a moment alone with her before, the chance to get one on one with the woman was virtually nonexistent. While a lot Harper's time was still spent entertaining Janie's odd and frequent whims, she had taken a job at the same bookstore they had run into each other at back in September. The time that was not devoted to classes and studying was devoted to helping her fellow students and other New Yorkers figure out that the classics actually had relevance. And that they could actually be better than the latest bestseller.

But despite this, Justin had figured out just how to get her to spare him a few minutes out of each of her days. As the days grew shorter, it became less than safe for a young co-ed to walk home alone in the dark. Therefore, Justin made it a point to show up ten minutes before her shifts ended to walk her back to their dorm.

When she mentioned that she studied in an all night diner to get peace and quiet on the evenings she was off, he was there with two mugs of the diner's steaming brew and a pile of books that he had to study as well. When she told him that she loved going to the park on the weekends to read and people watch, he packed a lunch and surprised her midway through the day. And when her parents disappointed her yet again or she became homesick over missing her baby brother, he stopped by her room with tissues in hand and a sappy movie so she had a shoulder to cry on.

More than once, he was tempted to confess his newfound feelings for her. She would smile a certain way or her hair would fall just so and the wind would be knocked from his lungs. A girlish giggle would escape from her lips or she would say something completely out of the blue that had him itching to just blurt out the reason he had no words at that moment. Or she would stare at him just so and it would be all that he could do not to lean in and touch his lips to hers.

However, he kept it all inside during all their interactions, almost afraid that giving into his basic urges would ruin the camaraderie they had so finely built. But that third week of October, when he decided that enough was enough and to let the chips fall where they may, he finally attempted to make his move. It was only too bad that someone else already had.

The silent movie festival had finally made it back to New York and Justin was lucky enough to get his hands on two of the last remaining tickets. While he had gone to the festival on his own in the previous years, he could not bring himself to do so this one. And there was only one person that he knew of that loved silent movies as much as he did. But asking her meant admitting that there was something brewing beneath the surface.

Stiffening his resolve and mentally reviewing her self-imposed schedule, he made his way down the hall to her room and knocked on her door the moment he reached it. He didn't want to give himself any time to make up an excuse as to why he should turn around and walk away. He was five seconds away from doing just that anyway when the door swung open to reveal a sight that literally stole his breath.

Gone were the worn jeans, sneakers and the sweatshirts that had become her daily uniform. In their place was a pleated gray mini-skirt, knee-high leather boots and a fitted camisole. Her hair had been loosened from the messy bun she usually wore it in and hung in smooth waves down her back, swept to the side and secured with a barrette. Cosmetics had been applied with a light touch but on a face that never wore them, the change was striking.

She was, in a word, _beautiful_. And he felt himself becoming awkward and wondering just what he was doing there.

"Justin?" She smiled in such a way that he was instantly comforted and reminded that she was still the girl he grew up with. "Do you need something?"

"Uh…I…" He cleared his throat. "You look amazing. Are you going somewhere?"

Janie chose that exact moment to make an appearance. "Harper has a date tonight." She had a date? "Can you believe that I finally got her to agree to go out?"

"So…who's the lucky guy?"

"This guy in my Shakespeare class who sits two rows back. He's like obsessed with the written word and since Harper is going to be a future novelist, I figured they'd hit it off," Janie replied, obviously proud of her matchmaking skills.

"You're planning on becoming a novelist, Harper?"

A blush colored her cheeks and her smile became a bit shy. "Hopefully, one day, if I can make it through some of the classes I'm taking."

"I think you'll be great at it. In fact, I know you will."

"Thanks Justin, that means a lot."

They were so close to sharing a moment when Janie interceded, handing Harper a blazer that matched the skirt. "I hate to be a buzz kill but you got to get going. Anthony is waiting at the coffee shop just around the corner from your work. Make sure you call me if you need to make an exit but promise me that you'll give him a chance."

"I promise." She slipped the blazer on and reached for her clutch on the stand next to the door, pulling her hair out of collar at the same time. "I'm sorry, Justin, you wanted something?"

Justin rubbed the back of his neck with one hand and touched the tickets inside his jeans pocket with the other. He could tell her right now. He could let her know how he felt, destroy her date with the other guy and take her out just like he desired. All he had to do was say the words. Although every fiber of his being wanted to do this, the innocently expectant look on her face changed his mind. Harper deserved to have fun with a guy that shared a clean slate with her instead of one that held nothing but baggage.

"No, it's nothing that can't wait."

She furrowed her brow momentarily as though she didn't believe him before shrugging it off. "I'll see you tomorrow, yeah?"

Justin forced a smile on his face and nodded then watched her as she walked down the hall to the elevators, returning her wave before the doors to the elevator slid shut. He glanced briefly at Janie, muttered a goodbye and returned to his own dorm room. For the first time, he knew how Harper had felt all those times he brought a new girl home. He could actually feel a burning in the pit of his stomach over it. And he knew that he would have to handle it the same way she had done all those years ago.

He would have to grin and bear it, suck it up and support her whether she decided to make Anthony into a long-term relationship or just a one off.

**JH – JH **

She had to give it to Janie. Anthony was good looking, intelligent, charming and did know his Shakespeare. But that was the problem. He was too good looking, too charming and his awareness of his own intelligence made him come off as a total know-it-all. Not only that but he was also chauvinistic, self-absorbed, ill-mannered, and came off as a complete jerk when the waitress didn't get his order quite right. It was all she could do to sit across from him and not throw her cinnamon latte all over his perfectly tousled sun-streaked hair and designer clothes.

"They just didn't get the play. I mean, it's not all about mistaken identity, you know?"

Harper forced a smile and swallowed hard. "Yeah, sure, I totally know that. Anthony, I hate to be rude and cut this date short but I do have an early shift. And it's—" she glanced at her watch "—wow, it's seven-thirty already? Thanks for the coffee and the Shakespeare lesson."

Anthony stood as she did. "Are you sure you have to go now? I have tickets for the silent movie festival."

It was tempting, especially since silent films were one of her great passions in life. But putting up with an egotistical jerk for three or four more hours after the first one they shared? She didn't think so. "That sounds great but I'm really tired all of a sudden. I think it's best if I just call it a night."

"I can walk you back."

"It's just a few blocks." There was no way in hell she wanted this guy to know where she lived. "I think I'll be fine."

"On a New York street, after dark, all by yourself? Don't you ever watch the news?"

She was going to kill Janie the moment she walked in the door. Janie had made her promise to give Anthony a chance. Apparently the only chance he wanted to take was the one that got on her nerves. She would never again allow her roommate to set her up with someone who was supposedly perfect for her.

"You know what? I think I'll take my chances."

"Can I have your number to check up on you later to see if you got home all right? Maybe we can also plan our next date at the same time."

It was unbelievable. The guy understood the structure and nuances of a Shakespearean comedy but could not see a total brush off when it was happening in front of his face. "I don't think so. I hate to be blunt but I'm just not into you. And it's not me, it's totally you. Thanks for the coffee but I've had pretty much all I can take. Have a good night."

With that, she quickly made a break for the door.

**JH—JH **

He bumped into a grumbling Harper on his way out of the dormitory. To be more exact, he knocked her to the ground with the door as he was exiting the dormitory.

Cursing under his breath, he quickly kneeled at her side. "Shit, I'm sorry, Harper. I was in a rush and I didn't see you. Are you okay?"

To his surprise, instead of crying or moaning in pain, Harper was…laughing. "I'm fine. It's actually the perfect ending to my day. Do you mind helping me up?"

"Shit, sorry," said Justin, standing and pulling her up with him.

"Its okay, Justin," she assured him, brushing off her backside and picking up her fallen clutch. "Stop apologizing over something that was an accident. Besides, after the date I just had, that was a lot less painful."

"Bad date?"

"Let's just say, I was about an inch away from throwing my coffee on the guy. He was a total asshole."

"This explains why you were only gone for an hour."

Harper chuckled. "And ten minutes of that was spent trying to ditch him. Anthony knows everything there ever was to know about Shakespeare. What he doesn't know is how to act like a regular human being and when a girl is just not interested."

"I don't know. I think a girl like you would make any guy try a little harder to get her to be interested in him. Maybe something in your goodbye gave him hope," Justin suggested.

"Justin, it's a Friday night and I ended a date at seven-thirty. I refused to let him walk me home or get my number. Oh, and I turned down a night at the silent film festival," Harper replied. "Just short of actually saying the words, which I ended up doing, I think I made it pretty clear."

"You turned down a silent film festival?"

Harper nodded. "And it sucks because I really wanted to go tonight. They're doing a Charlie Chaplin, Lillian Gish and Greta Garbo tribute."

"I know. I got tickets."

"You're kidding. Any chance I can tag along?"

He held out his arm for her to take and tried to play it cool when she grasped it, despite the fact that he was feeling giddier than he did on his first date with Juliette. So maybe he failed in trying to make a move from friendship to relationship. And maybe she considered this just another one of their casual outings instead of a date and he would never suggest otherwise.

But feeling her warmth beside him, listening to her voice as she rattled off whatever came into her mind and catching the scent of her perfume on the breeze, he found that he just didn't care.

_**TBC…**_


	6. Chapter Five

_**Author's**** Note:**_ After the finale, I lost my inspiration for this. But I think I got it back. We'll see.

* * *

**Chapter Six**

In between working at the bookstore and attending classes, studying with Justin, going out with Janie and the odd blind date here and there, time seemed to fly by the auburn-haired co-ed. So much so that before she realized it, Thanksgiving was looming just over the horizon with only three days left until the auspicious holiday. As far as she knew, Janie would be returning to Pittsburgh to spend the four days with her father and stepmother while Justin would be heading back to the Russo loft.

And she would be one of a handful of students with no plans other than remaining on campus, despite the fact that she had a little brother she missed so much it hurt sometimes. She could thank her parents for that one as they would be busy performing for an audience of strangers instead of their own flesh and blood.

"Hey Harper, you want to come home with me this weekend?"

The question came entirely out of left field and her concentration was completely broken as she whipped her head up to stare at her study companion, her face displaying the surprise that she was obviously experiencing. She knew she looked like a fish out of water with her inability to form a simple word. Finally, she cleared her throat and croaked out a simple, "What?"

"You should come home with me this weekend. You know, spend Thanksgiving with us instead of by yourself in the dorms," he reiterated.

She felt her cheeks begin to burn with embarrassment as the sixteen year old buried deep inside had momentarily taken the offer to mean more than a friendly gesture. But the composed woman she was at twenty quickly quelled any nervousness that had sprung up due to his proposal.

Slowly, she shook her head in refusal. "I don't think so."

"Harper, what—"

"But thanks for the invitation," she interrupted. She began to gather her books and other possessions that were strewn across the library table and haphazardly threw them into her messenger bag. "It was sweet of you to offer but I just don't think it'd be the best idea."

"How can it not be a good idea? Harper, you're going to be alone on campus while the rest of us are with family and friends. I don't see why you _wouldn't_ want to be with people who care about you," Justin argued, confused at her blatant refusal, slowly beginning to gather his items as well.

Slinging the bag over her neck and situating the strap across her chest, Harper stood. "Trust me, it's not a good idea," she replied, chuckling. "You know, we've become really good friends since I came back. And I want to keep it that way."

"Okay…"

Harper smiled sadly. "And for a moment there, I felt as though I was sixteen again and all those old feelings that I spent so much time getting over came rushing back. And if that could happen just because you _asked_ me to join you, I don't want to think of what could happen if I did wind up going with you. I just think it'd be better if I stayed on campus and did my own thing."

She whirled around and began to march out of the library. It took a few minutes for him to process what she had said and when he did, he had to run to catch up to her rapid pace. Upon reaching her, he gripped her upper arm and spun her around to face him.

"Harper, it's just a dinner with my family. The same family that you lived with for a year and, not to mention, my sister who happens to be your best friend," Justin pointed out.

"I know who's going to be there, Justin. That's not the problem."

"I don't…" he trailed, his confusion over her refusal to join him slowly developing into realization. Like a flickering light bulb that suddenly gained a steady glow, understanding dawned on him and he could see all too clearly her reasons for not spending time away from campus with him. "Harper, you're not that obsessive stalker-esque girl anymore. You've grown up and you're so different than who you were back then."

She shook her head. "But I'm really not that different and that's what you're not getting. That obsessive stalker-esque girl is still a part of me, no matter how many people tell me differently. And I can change how I dress, how I wear my hair and I can even change how I act around you. But I can't change the fact that I am always going to be that geek in the background dreaming about the guy that she can't have."

"How can you not see how different you are? How can you not see the beautiful, intelligent woman that I see every time I look at you? How can you be so blind to her when she is so visible to me and the rest of world?" he demanded.

"Because you weren't there when I had to figure it all out on my own," she shouted, gaining looks of irritation from their peers. She shifted on her feet; mouthing apologies to the people she had interrupted, before looking back up at him. "You weren't there when my life was turned upside-down and I ended up finding myself alone."

"But you weren't really alone. You had my sister and I know my parents did what they could to let you know that they cared. And you had Zeke, you know, the guy you dated the entire year before you left," Justin said.

"Yeah, I did. But you never realized that while I liked Zeke, maybe even loved him a little, he was only a substitute for you."

They were silent as they stood staring at each other, Justin slack-jawed and Harper with her lips pursed together in a thin white line. While it was clear that his current feelings were still one-sided, he took assurance in the fact that her eventually returning them was in the realm of possibility. Especially, since he now knew that some of what she had once felt was still lingering after all these years.

"I'm going to go. Just…give your family my apologies and I guess…I guess I'll just see you next week."

She rushed towards the exit of the library, disappearing through the double doors and hidden from sight by a group of students entering at the same time. Justin headed towards the exit as well with a new determination and the decision that, no matter what, he would prove to her that she was not the only one who had evolved from who and what they had been. And perhaps, the new versions of Harper Finkle and Justin Russo really did belong together after all.

**- J-H –**

That Wednesday afternoon, Justin returned alone to his family's sandwich shop to celebrate the holiday. It was not only the lights and the fact that the shop was busier than normal—it seemed more people had nowhere to go for the holidays than ones that did—that caused him to take a step back. It was the fact that he barely had time to put his duffel bag down before his family surrounded him.

And while it had only been three months since they'd last seen each other face-to-face and they emailed regularly, it was especially amazing to him that his sister acted as though they had been separated for years. The moment his mother released him from her embrace, Alex threw her arms around his neck in a vice grip. Justin awkwardly patted her on the back for half a minute before taking her by the shoulders and pushing her out of his personal space.

"Holy crap, it's good to see you," Alex exclaimed.

"Alex, language," Jerry Russo admonished his daughter.

Alex rolled her eyes. "But seriously, it's good to see my big brother even if he does look like shit. Say what you want about your double but at least he knew how to shave."

"Alex!" Theresa shouted. "Your brother works hard and you should be happy that he came home to see us. Why don't you go upstairs and clean up, Justin? Maybe take a nap and shave so you don't look so much like a…bum."

He could always count on his family to be supportive. "I'll do that."

"I think I should help him unpack," Alex said, taking him by wrist and pulling him towards the stairs leading to the upstairs loft. "And I'll make sure he comes back down looking like the Justin we all know and loathe."

"Alex!" both parents yelled simultaneously.

"Geez, you would think they'd know when I'm joking by now," Alex muttered. She went over and plopped down on the orange sofa, tucking her feet under her body. "So, now can you tell me why you look like the guy three doors down from me?"

Justin threw his bag on an armchair and threw himself on the sofa next to her. "I haven't really slept since Monday and I think I failed every midterm I've had this week."

"Wait, there's a possibility that you've failed something academic? What's going on with you?"

"Harper and I had a fight. We're not really speaking right now." A silence filled the room and Justin looked over to find his sister with jaw dropped. "Alex?"

"Sorry." She shook her head. "Sorry, but did you say that you two actually fought? How did that happen? I mean, I thought everything was on track. You said in your last email that everything was going good and that you were close to telling her how you feel."

"Damn it, Alex, I didn't tell you so you could give me an interrogation."

"Who's interrogating? I'm just trying to figure out how you went from best friends and possibly more to not even speaking," Alex replied. "What did you do?"

"And why do you assume I did something?"

She lifted a brow with a condescending air. "Please, like Harper is going to be the one to instigate a fight."

"You know what, Alex? Maybe you don't know her as well as you think you do." His tone was biting and Alex flinched from its intensity. Swallowing against a lump that was slowly forming in his throat, he sighed. "The only thing I did was invite her to come home with me for Thanksgiving. I swear."

"And?"

"And she began saying that if she did, we wouldn't be friends anymore because all those old feelings she had for me would return. She acted like one dinner was going to do irreparable harm and that it would be so easy to bring her stalker side back. It was like she didn't have any faith in our bond…in me," Justin ranted.

"And what else?"

Justin shrugged. "It just spun out of control from there. Alex, you kept in contact with her better than any of us while she was gone. She said something about having to figure things out on her own. Would you know what she meant by that?"

Alex sighed. "You never know the impact you have on a life until you're not a part of it anymore. She really had no one when she went back to live with their parents. No one to alleviate the pressure and her parents put _a lot_ of pressure on her. They had her running nonstop errands, cooking and cleaning, all because they were too busy working. And that was before her brother was born.

"So, there she was in a new town with no friends, doing everything that her parents were supposed to be doing, and trying to juggle being a senior in high school with trying to get into college. Add the constant reminder that she was different than her family because she chose not to be a performer and it's a wonder she didn't have a breakdown. I mean, she was supposed to be enjoying life as a teenager and, instead, she was experiencing the life of a single mother. You know, I can't count how many times she told me that she was mistaken for being one.

"And she had no outlet for her frustrations. Even though I was just a phone call or email away, it wasn't the same as having someone physically _there_. Thank the gods Janie came along when she did because I don't think she could have handled her life alone much longer without some kind of outlet," Alex finished.

Justin was stunned. Harper was going through all that and none of them knew? Why hadn't Alex said anything in all those months? Not that they could have done anything big to help her but didn't all that warrant a heads up at least?

"What does any of that have to do with me?" he asked.

"Because, Justin, she still loved you. Figuring out how to keep her sanity during all the drama should have been enough but she also had to figure out how to get past those lingering feelings she had for you. She also had to convince herself that she didn't use Zeke and wasn't stringing him along for a year," Alex replied.

"That's crazy. Even if she was at first, I doubt they would have lasted if that was the case."

"I know, right? But try telling that to a girl whose guilt is the only thing she can control about her life."

Alex turned her head to look at her older brother, noting the creases in the center of his forehead and the set of his jaw that were evidence of him being troubled by the afternoon's revelations. She couldn't imagine how much worse it would have been if he had experienced those two years with her firsthand instead of just hearing about them on a chilly autumn day.

"Justin, can I ask you something?" He nodded. "In all that time she was going on about not wanting to ruin things between you and not wanting to revert back to what she was, did you ever think to tell her about your feelings?"

And right then, with all his genius, he felt like the biggest idiot that had ever lived.

_**To be continued…**_


End file.
